Great bass flies?

[RyanX]

Dear Larry
Do you know some great flies for bass, and some that are easy to make because I started to tie some flies last winter?

[dahlberg]

Hi R
Actually I made a living for over 20 years guiding fly fishermen for smallmouth bass.
There are many good bass flies and most are not hard to tie. My favorite surface patterns are poppers, divers and sliders. They can be made of spun deer hair, foam, or cork.
In terms of sub surface flies, those that imitate baitfish or long slim worm-like flies that look quite a bit like plastic worms are effective also, but not nearly as much fun to fish with.
If you do some googling you will find hundreds. IMO, those with lots of detail are usually best left to people who don't fish. The main considerations are that the fly be easy to cast (light weight and minimum wind resistance) and that the fish like them!
best,
L

[flyfishing1]

If you haven't already practice tying on weed guards. With hair bugs the hook bend to eye is a good classic to use. If I have a cork body I really like to use a horseshoe loop on it. I put one on by taking a heavy guage sewing needle and making two holes on either side of the hook shank on the bottom of the bug. Then take a short (2 to 4 inches) piece of 50lb mono and after messuring it up and trimming to length glue it in place in the holes you made. One BIG IMPORTANT TIP for maknig this kind of weed guard is to make the loop big enough to go over the bend of the hook but don't angle it back too far. You want it hanging almost strait down. Of coarse there are manny other ways to go about this. Here are a couple photos I searched up. Last thing about guards is when you cast your fly into cover pull it out very slowly so you don't collapse the guard. Unless your line is twisted around a branch you will get it back almost every time.

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/ ... 26&forum=5

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/i ... =slv8-msgr

As for colors I'll throw almost any color topwater in the day but when the sun starts to go down go with darker colors, they are easier to see. Clear water start with something more natural and then go to more colorful if they aren't hitting. For stained or dirty water start with loud colors with plenty of flash and some way for the fish to locate it. Example use a steadier cadence for poppers or divers or a streamer with a thick profile that pushes more water than a thinner fly.

With that said I have my best luck with deer hair or cork poppers of various sizes and colors. Umpqua swimming frog has produced well for me and our hosts classic rabbit strip diver. Clouser minnows and Lefty's decievers are great flies to have in your box for anything in different colors and sizes also. They are very easy to tie too. Sorry for the novel but if it helps it was worth it. Good luck.

For real I had not yet read the other thread you postedin Mr. Dahlberg before I wrote abote color choices. At least I know I'm getting it right...haha